


The Fear Before The Phrase

by MythicalViolet



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-17 21:49:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4682630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythicalViolet/pseuds/MythicalViolet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link, a professor at a local university, meets a writer named Rhett while recovering from a breakup.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I wrote, way back in October 2014.

Link sat in his office on campus grading papers. It was Friday night, long after the rest of his colleagues had gone home, and he was spending another day burying himself in his work, trying to forget.  He picked up his phone and re-read the text message for the millionth time in a month.

_I’m sorry, it’s over.  Thanks for everything._

Link put his head in his hands and his memories raced back to that night. Opening the door to the townhouse he shared with Mark, his partner of 5 years, and noticing there were things missing. Thinking they were robbed, Link ran upstairs to their bedroom. There were DVDs missing, and oddly enough, clothes. Mark’s clothes.  _What kind of intruder steals clothes?_

He went into the bathroom and saw that Marks toothbrush and other toiletries were missing. Link’s heart began to sink. Somehow his hand found his phone and he texted Mark.  _Where are you? What’s going on?_

Mark replied:  _It’s over_

Tears formed in Link’s eyes. He removed his glasses and wiped them away. _What happened? What did I do? Please come home so we can talk. I love you._

_I’m sorry, It’s over. Thanks for everything._

Link crumbled to the floor, narrowly missing hitting his head on the edge of the sink.  He lay on the floor and sobbed, shaggy brunette hair falling around his face and soaking up his tears.

Somehow, Link was able to continue on with his life after Mark left, but he often felt like an empty shell. He and Mark had a long history together, even before they became a couple five years ago.  It was like a piece of his heart was missing, but it still managed to keep beating.

Link continued on with his job as an English professor at a local university. He was well liked by his students and colleagues alike, and that seemed to help him press on through the sorrow. But he began to work long days at the university to avoid going home to an empty house.

This particular Friday night brought on a fresh wave of loneliness. He ached for conversation and to be touched. His self imposed isolation was beginning to eat away at him. Link put the last of his paperwork in a desk drawer, grabbed his things, and headed out to his car.

He sat in the driver’s seat, car idling. He didn’t want to go home, but he knew staying on campus was pointless. He began to drive aimlessly around town, and decided to stop at a bar.  _Just one drink to relax, then I’ll go home_   he thought.

Link sat at the bar and ordered a gin and tonic.  He sat and nursed his drink, lost in his thoughts and not paying attention to his surroundings. He didn’t even notice the handsome stranger that sat next to him.

“Hi. Are you alone?”

Link looked up to see a pair of blue eyes staring back at him. He widened his gaze and noted the nicely trimmed beard and pushed up dirty blonde hair. He wore a dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top button undone. Link was taken aback. It had been a long time since he’d felt attracted to anyone besides Mark.

“Um…yeah.  Just relaxing after a long day at work.”

The stranger raised his strong eyebrows in interest.  “Oh, where do you work?”

“Mayfield University. I’m  an English professor.”

“Oh, then we have something in common; I write for the local paper and do some freelance work on the side.”

Link smiled a bit. It had been so long since he voluntarily entered into a conversation with someone that didn’t take place at work. The small interaction soothed the ache in his heart.

The stranger offered his hand. “I’m Rhett.” Link reached out to shake it. “I’m Charles…but everyone calls me Link.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Link.”

They continued to chat throughout the evening, Rhett eventually ordering Link another drink. At one point Link was shocked to hear the sound of his own laughter.  _How long has it been since that happened?_  he thought. Rhett was charming and seemed genuinely interested in what Link had to say. Occasionally he would gaze at Link in a way that made Link wonder if perhaps this new acquaintance was interested in more than just conversation. Link had been out of the dating scene for so long he couldn’t discern the vibe he was getting from him.

Before they knew it, it was last call. Rhett and Link wandered out to the parking lot slowly, not wanting to leave each other’s company. They eventually made it to Link’s car.

“Well, it was really nice to meet you Link.  I’ve enjoyed your company this evening.”

Link blushed a little. “Thanks me too.”

“Say um…I was wondering….” It was Rhett’s turn to blush now. “Could I see you again, in a more formal setting?”

Link’s eyes widened with surprise. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“Yeah I mean…I don’t know if you’re…” Rhett suddenly became very interested in his shoes.

“Oh…oh I am…I was actually wondering the same about you.”

Rhett looked up and smiled. “Awesome.  I’m glad I followed my gut and decided to talk to you.”

They exchanged phone numbers and made plans to get together the following weekend.

“So I’ll see you in about a week.” Rhett said. “Feel free to call or text me in the meantime.”

Link smiled. “Thanks”. As he turned to get into his vehicle, Rhett planted a quick kiss on his lips. By the time he fully processed what happened, Rhett was pulling out of the parking lot and Link was still leaning against the card door.

Link eventually got in his car, went home, and crawled into bed. He lay quietly for a long time, replaying the events of the evening in his head, especially the kiss. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

Link returned to work on Monday, still smiling from the events of Friday night. Meeting Rhett and the anticipation of seeing him again significantly brightened his mood. Whenever he had a free moment he found his mind wandering to the kiss in the parking lot.  _I definitely wouldn’t mind kissing him again_  Link thought, surprising himself. The last person he kissed was Mark and that was over a month ago. But within a matter of days, Mark was starting to move further ito the back of Link’s mind as Rhett moved towards the front.

Thursday afternoon Link’s phone buzzed. It was Rhett.

_Hey, are we still on for tomorrow evening?_

_Absolutely._   Link texted back. He hoped he didn’t sound too forward.

_Great. I picked a nice place for us to go eat. Is it all right if I pick you up?_

_Sure._  Link was pleasantly surprised at Rhett’s offer. He texted him his address.

_Great. See you at 6:30 tomorrow._

_Can’t wait._  Link responded.  He couldn’t stop grinning for the rest of the day.

Friday evening arrived and Link stood inside his closet wearing nothing but a towel, unsure of what to wear on his date with Rhett.  The spaces where Mark’s clothes used to be were still empty. Link moved some of his things into those spaces as he searched for just the right outfit. He finally settled on a pair of jeans and a grey v neck sweater worn over a powder blue button down shirt.

Link went into the bathroom to fix his hair, still a little damp from his shower. He put his glasses back on and examined his reflection. “I can’t believe this is happening.” He said to himself. “I hope I don’t make a fool of myself.” Link went downstairs to wait for Rhett. He’d only been sitting on the couch for about 5 minutes when there was a knock on the door.

Link opened the door to see Rhett smiling down on him; he’d forgotten how tall he was. Rhett was also wearing jeans, paired with a button down shirt similar to the one he wore on Friday night, except this one was pastel green. He also wore this one with the sleeves rolled up a bit and the top button undone.

“Hi.” He said, and Link snapped out of trance he was in. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes.” Link said. He closed the door behind him, and Rhett directed him towards his car.

They made small talk until they got to the restaurant. Link kept his gaze pointed toward the windshield, occasionally stealing glances at Rhett. A few times he saw Rhett looking back.

They arrived at the restaurant, an upscale steakhouse, and were quickly seated across from each other. When the waitress came to take their drink order, Link asked for a water and Rhett asked for a glass of wine. When she asked if the check was going to be separate or together, Link had barely formed the word “Separate” before Rhett replied “Together.” Link looked at him in surprise, and Rhett responded with a wink.

“So can I ask why you approached me at the bar last week?”

Rhett smiled. “Honestly? I was feeling a bit lonely. I looked over and I saw you, and saw that you looked kind of lonely too. Plus I thought you were cute.” Rhett winked again, and Link turned red, very red. It had been ages since anyone flirted with him.

Link quickly regained his composure. “So tell me how you ended up here, working for the paper.”

Rhett leaned back in his seat. “Well, I was born in Georgia and raised in a small town in North Carolina. My mom died when I was young, and I was raised by my dad until I was in high school when he got remarried. This was around the time I was beginning to figure out I was gay. It was tough being a gay kid in my town to begin with, but my stepmom was having none of it. She…she wasn’t very nice to me.  My dad just kind of hung back and let it happen. I guess he loved her more than me.” Rhett looked off in the distance, like he saw someone approaching him. He continued. “So after graduation I packed up and moved out here to California, determined to leave everything behind and take care of myself. I found a job and put myself through school. I bounced around a bit until I got my current position at the paper three years ago, and I’ve been here ever since.”

Link sat quietly for a moment as he processed what Rhett told him. He remembered how tough figuring out his sexuality was during his teen years. Although he remained pretty closeted until college, the pain of rejection was still familiar.

“I’m so sorry you went through that.” was all Link could think to say in that moment. Rhett smiled faintly. “Thanks.” He shifted in his seat and leaned towards Link. “I’m actually glad I got to share that with you, because I wanted to ask a favor.”

“Okay.”

“I’m working on a book, I guess you’d call it a…collaborative memoir. I’m writing about my experiences as a gay teen, and I’ve interviewed several other people with similar backgrounds to include in the book.  I was wondering if maybe you’d like to contribute something to my project and maybe look over it a bit, do some editing? I could use another pair of eyes, and I thought your experience as an English professor could be helpful.”

Link smiled. “Absolutely, I’d love to help.  It sounds like a wonderful project.”

They continued talking while enjoying their meal. They swapped childhood stories, and learned they had grown up not too far from each other in North Carolina. “It’s a shame we never ran into each other back then.” Rhett said. “I think we would’ve become really good friends.”

“Me too.” Link said. “It would’ve been nice to have a friend like you in those days.” Link suddenly noticed how relaxed he felt with Rhett. He didn’t have to force himself to laugh or respond, it just came naturally. He genuinely enjoyed being out with Rhett. Whatever this thing they had was, Link was enjoying it immensely. It seemed to be a good match.

Rhett paid for the meal and they left the restaurant. On the drive back to Link’s place, they made plans to get together  in a few days to go over Rhett’s book.  Rhett pulled up in front of Link’s house. “I really enjoyed going out with you tonight. Can we do this again? In addition to working on the book?”

“Sure, I’d really like that.” Link said. They sat quietly for a minute, listening to the sound of the idling engine. Neither of them wanted to be the one to end the evening. Link finally turned towards Rhett to say goodbye when he realized there was a hand on his knee. Rhett’s large hand completely covered Link’s knee and a portion of his thigh. Link could’ve sworn his heart stopped beating for a few seconds.

“I…I hope I’m not moving too fast but, I’d really like to kiss you right now, if it’s okay.” Rhett said.

“Um…” Link’s throat went dry.  Noticing Link’s hesitancy, Rhett removed his hand from his knee.

Link finally remembered how to speak. “I’d…I’d really like to kiss you too Rhett. I enjoyed your kiss from last week.” Rhett blushed. “I’m glad I didn’t scare you off. I didn’t even think about it, I just did it.”

“I figure I should share something with you before this goes any further.” Link took a deep breath, wanting to get this part over with as quickly as possible. “About a month ago, my partner of 5 years left me, unexpectedly. I came home one day and all his things were gone. I texted him and all he said was “It’s over.” I was devastated.”

Rhett looked shocked and sad. “Oh wow, I’m so sorry. If I had known I wouldn’t have tried…”

Link stopped him. “No, it’s okay. Meeting you was exactly what I needed. I’d been isolating myself from people for so long and hiding from my feelings. I really needed someone to reach out and pull me out of my sadness.” Link reached over and grabbed Rhett’s hand. “Thank you.” Link leaned over and kissed Rhett, gently at first and then more passionately. Rhett responded with equal passion.  Link relished the feeling of Rhett’s beard on his face, the feeling of being touched by another human being.  _It’s been so long_  Link thought. Rhett’s response to the kiss made Link think Rhett needed the connection as well.

The kiss ended with much hesitancy from both parties, and Link slowly exited Rhett’s car. Rhett blew him another kiss as he shut the door. Link walked into the house, leaned against the door, and let himself slide down until he was sitting on the floor. He fiddled with the hem of his shirt, grinning until his face hurt.

Rhett went home and did the exact same thing.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next few weeks, Rhett and Link got together weekly to work on Rhett’s book and get to know each other better. Their dates usually consisted of edits and re-writes and dinner afterwards.  They always worked from the same computer, knees and elbows touching. At some point the meetings would dissolve into kissing and touching. Their makeout sessions often had a feel of urgency and hunger and they would cling to each other fiercely.

Rhett began to open up about the abuse he experienced from his stepmother.

“She was…she was awful.” Rhett looked down in shame. He and Link were cuddling on the couch while some Lionel Richie played quietly in the background (they had discovered they shared a mutual love of his music). “Called me names, beat me, and humiliated me in front of people.  She caught me kissing a classmate once and thought for sure she was going to kill me. I pretty much had to leave after graduation. It was almost like she wanted me to leave.”

Rhett’s voice cracked, and Link tightened the grip he had around his torso. He wished he could go back in time and protect him.

“Tell me about Mark.” Rhett said. “If you’re okay with it.”

“Sure.”  Link straightened up a bit. “Mark was my first…well first everything. First love, first sexual partner, first serious relationship. He was the first person to find out I was gay, long before anyone else did.” Link sighed, and Rhett began to rub his back. “We lost touch after high school. I fooled around with some guys in college, nothing serious because I was still kind of closeted. I was so scared of being out, even after I moved away from home. Five years ago we found each other again and got together. It was…it was great. I just wish I knew what went wrong, what I did to make him leave. I still blame myself.” It was now Link’s turn to get choked up. Rhett kissed him on the forehead.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Link. You’re a wonderful person, anyone would be lucky to have you. Mark’s an asshole; put him out of your mind as best you can. We’re together now, okay?” Link smiled and nodded before planting a light kiss on Rhett’s lips.

One Saturday morning Link was woken up by a loud crack of thunder. He looked out his bedroom window and saw the rain falling down in sheets. He reached over to grab his phone from the nightstand and check the weather app: torrential thunderstorms all day. “Good thing I’m not planning on going anywhere today.” Link got up and made his way into the bathroom where he took a long hot shower. He just finished grading mid-term papers and was looking forward to a couple days away from campus. He put on a clean pair of pajama pants and a t shirt. As he climbed back in bed to find a movie to watch, Rhett texted him.

_Would you like some company on this rainy day?_

Link smiled.  _Sure, I hope you don’t mind that I’m in my pjs._

_Not at all, maybe I’ll bring mine too. It looks like I’ll need a change of clothes by the time I get to your place._

_Sounds good, see you in a few._

Link made his bed then went downstairs to the kitchen to make coffee. He was giddy with the prospect of spending the day with Rhett in their pajamas. He started of thinking of things they could do and movies they could watch.

There was a knock on the door, and Link opened it to see a soaking wet Rhett standing before him. He was wearing shorts and a grey t shirt, the sopping wet shirt clinging to Rhett’s body and outlining the muscles of his chest. Link began to feel a twinge, a certain type of twinge he hadn’t felt in a while.

“Hey.” Rhett said, kissing Link and bringing him back to the moment .   “Hey babe. You can put your things in my bedroom. Upstairs and to the right.”

“Thanks.” Link watched Rhett walk upstairs, unconsciously licking his lips until he caught himself. “Link, chill out.” He muttered to himself. He went into the kitchen and poured cups of coffee for him and Rhett. He leaned against the counter and sipped his thoughtfully until Rhett came in, wearing pajama pants similar to Link’s and a t shirt. “Coffee?” Link offered. “You must be freezing.”

“I am, thanks.” Rhett kissed Link again. Rhett leaned against the counter next to Link, and Link allowed his eyes to wander down Rhett’s tall lean body.

“You like what you see?” Rhett asked, playfully flexing his arms.

“Oh I…yeah I…I guess I do.” Link blushed.

Rhett winked. “It’s okay, I feel the same way about you.” Rhett used one of his hands to cup Links ass as he walked into the living room to finish his coffee. Link felt his knees get a little weak.

They lay on the couch watching a movie, intermittently kissing and touching. Eventually they paid less and less attention to the movie and more to each other. Link was practically clawing at Rhett’s chest and Rhett was involuntarily grinding his hips against Link’s.  They paused and looked at each other as they both became aware of the arousal that was barely contained in their pajama pants.

“Bedroom?” Link asked breathlessly. Rhett nodded.

Rhett and Link almost tripped over each other as they scrambled off the couch and up to Link’s bedroom.  Once inside, clothing seemed to fly in all directions as they fell on the bed. Link had no idea where his glasses went but he didn’t care. All he could think about were the large warm hands that were exploring his body and the gentle kisses Rhett was planting on his lips and neck. Link gladly returned the favor allowing his hands to wander down the larger man’s chest until they reached his manhood.  He playful touched and stroked it.

“Fuck, Link.” Rhett said. “You’re such a tease.”

Link snickered. “Yeah I am.” Rhett then reached down to Link’s manhood to do the same thing. Link grunted with pleasure and spanked Rhett .  “Damn it Rhett! I’m going to get you back for that.”

“Promise?” Rhett winked.

The couple continued kissing and caressing each other’s bodies, now warm to the touch.  Every time they wanted to say something, how much they loved each other, how much they wanted each other, their words were swallowed up by moans of pleasure and satisfaction.

Eventually they had moved in such a way that  Rhett was on his knees pressed up against the wall behind the bed, with Link behind him, also on his knees and straddling Rhett from behind. Link kissed Rhett’s back and stroked his sides. They were both breathing heavily.

“Link, do you want to…do you want to take me?” Rhett asked, almost begging.

“Hell yes.” Link said. He grabbed the bottle of lube from the nightstand and prepared himself and Rhett. Rhett arched his back and cried out as Link began to insert his fingers inside him, slowly moving them in and out.

“Does that feel good?” Link asked, kissing Rhett’s neck.

“Oh my god yes.” Rhett panted. “Keep going.”

Link then removed his fingers and began to insert himself in Rhett. “Damn babe, you feel so good.” He said. Rhett braced himself against the headboard of the bed as they began to rock back and forth, eventually guiding one of Link’s hands to his manhood and began to pump in the same rhythm.

The rain continued to pour down hard and the thunder cracked, but Rhett and Link were so lost in their pleasure they hardly noticed. Link started grinding his hips against Rhett, and Rhett exclaimed “Link, I’m gonna…I’m gonna…it’s time.”

Link whispered in Rhett’s ear. “Go ahead, come for me baby.”

Rhett threw his head back and groaned, his come splattering the headboard. Link came soon after, emptying himself into his lover. He withdrew but continued to lean against Rhett’s back.  Rhett leaned his head against the wall and intertwined his fingers with Link’s. They remained that way for a long time, quietly, resting in the afterglow of their passionate embrace.


	4. Chapter 4

Rhett and Link lay under a pile of blankets, arms and legs intertwined, stealing gentle kisses. After they had cleaned up from their lovemaking (Link found his glasses, intact, under the bed) they got dressed and climbed back into bed. Rhett ran his fingers through Link’s dark hair and Link rubbed circles on Rhett’s lower back.

“This is the first time I’ve laid with anyone else in this bed since Mark left.” Link said.

Rhett kissed him on the forehead. “How does that feel?”

Link sighed. “Kind of sad…nostalgic, I guess? It’s so weird.” Link sat up and Rhett put his arms back around him. “I was with Mark for so long and he was the only person I was ever with. When he left I was heartbroken, I cried for days. I hated coming home to an empty house and lying in an empty bed.  That’s why I was in the bar that night, because I didn’t want to go home after work. I was in a lot of pain and I was trying to hide from it.”

“No wonder you looked so lonely that night. You were hurting pretty bad.” Rhett pulled Link closer to him.

Link nodded. “But I’m happy right now. Really happy, thanks to you.”  Link kissed Rhett. “How are you feeling?”

“Incredible.” Rhett smiled.  “I’ve tried dating a few guys over the years and it never lasted very long.  I was too afraid to let my guard down. When you’ve been through what I’ve been through, it’s hard to let people in and to feel secure. You kind of close yourself off as a means of survival.”

Link nodded in understanding. Rhett untangled himself from Link. “I’ll be right back, babe.”  He reached into his duffel bag and pulled out what appeared to be a small prescription bottle before disappearing into the bathroom. Link heard the shaking of a bottle and running water. Rhett reappeared, dropped the bottle back into his bag, and climbed back into bed, wrapping himself around Link.

Link looked at him with concern. “Zoloft.” He said. “A few months ago I was in a really bad place. I just gone through a breakup and I was spiraling, bad. A friend encouraged me to see a doctor, and I was diagnosed with depression. I started taking the medication along with counseling and I’ve made a lot of progress since then. You’re the first person I’ve been with since my diagnosis.”

Link snuggled even closed to Rhett. “How long have you had it?”

Rhett sighed. “For years, at least since college.  I knew something was wrong but I just assumed it would go away on its own. I guess it was a reaction to the abuse.” Rhett shrugged. “I hope that doesn’t bother you, being with someone with my…illness.”

Link kissed Rhett. “Of course not. You’re still Rhett, you’re still the man I love. Having an illness isn’t going to change that. This is just something we’ll walk through together now.”

Rhett perked up. “You love me?”

Link laughed. “Of course I do! I honestly didn’t expect to fall for someone that quickly after Mark left but…” Link’s voice trailed off and he smiled shyly. “But yeah, I love you. I love you and I want to be with you for a long time.”

Rhett smiled. “I love you too Link.” He took both his hands and kissed him. “I want to be with you for a long time too.” They leaned closer to each other until their foreheads touched, still holding hands and smiling.


	5. Chapter 5

Link was putting the last touches on the Christmas decorations in the living room. It was Christmas break, and Rhett was coming over to spend the holidays with him. Link was excited about spending a few consecutive days with Rhett and not having to worry about either of them trekking across town.

Link had just finished hanging the mistletoe in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room when his phone buzzed. It was Rhett.

_I’m running a little late, but don’t worry, it’s for a good reason. I’ve got some news_

_That’s fine. Can’t wait to hear your news. :)_

_Love you babe, see you soon._

_Love you too._

Link wondered what kind of news Rhett had. “Maybe it has something to do with the book.” Rhett had started shopping around for a publisher for the book almost two months ago, but hadn’t heard back from anyone yet.

Link was upstairs re-organizing his bedroom closet (he finally claimed Mark’s space for his own) when he heard an excited knock on the door. He ran downstairs and opened the door to see Rhett suitcase in one hand and a shopping bag in another. He didn’t even put his things down before he started kissing Link.

“Wow, I’m glad to see you too.” Link said, finally pulling away. “What’s going on?”

“Come with me.” Rhett dropped his suitcase and quickly moved towards the kitchen. Link followed, trying to keep up with Rhett’s long strides.

Rhett set the bag on the counter and pulled out a bottle of champagne and two flute glasses. “We’re celebrating tonight.” He said. He slid his phone over to Link. “Read that email.” Rhett set to work opening the bottle and pouring two glasses of champagne.

Link looked up excitedly from Rhett’s phone. “You found a publisher?”

“Yes!” Rhett shouted. “They love the book, and they want more. After the holidays they want to negotiate a multi-book deal.”

Now it was Link’s turn to shout. “Babe that’s amazing! I’m so proud of you.” Link kissed him before taking a sip of champagne.

“Oh, I have one more thing to show you.” Rhett went to retrieve his laptop from his suitcase. “I had already written the dedication page a while ago, and the other day I decided to make a final addition.” Rhett pointed to a line on the screen.

_To my partner in love , Link. Thanks babe._

“You’re welcome.” Link said, and kissed Rhett again. They both finished the champagne and Link put the glasses in the sink while Rhett put the bottle in the fridge. “So what do you want to do now?” Link asked. He turned around to see Rhett leaning inside the doorway to the living room. “Well we could make good use of this mistletoe.” he said with a seductive smile, pointing to the plant.

“Sounds like a plan.” Link made his way to where Rhett was standing. He pressed himself against the larger man and started planting light kisses on his lips. Rhett nuzzled Link’s neck with his beard, and Link giggled at the tingly sensation.

“So Rhett I was thinking…”

“Mmmm?”  Rhett continued to nuzzle Link’s neck.

“I was thinking about how much I love having you around here, how nice it is to wake up in the morning and see your face, even doing stupid domestic shit with you like grocery shopping. Wouldn’t be nice if we just…lived together instead of having to run across town to see each other?”

Rhett looked up at him. “Are you asking me to move in with you?”

“Yeah I mean…there’s way more room here than your apartment, and if you’re getting a book deal that means we’ll be spending more time together so…” Link’s voice trailed off and he searched Rhett’s eyes for an answer.

“Are you sure? I mean, it’s been a few months since Mark left and…”

Link stopped him. “Yes, I’m sure. I want you here with me.”

“Yes, of course I’ll move in.” Rhett cupped his hands around Link’s face and kissed him.

“So what should our first order of business as a domesticated couple be?” Link asked.

Rhett smiled. “I think we should practice how to share a bed. What do you think?” he winked.

“Absolutely.” Link said. He took Rhett’s hand and led him upstairs to their bedroom.


End file.
